New Student Guide to Technology

Welcome to Williams: Your Guide to Getting Started with Technology

Welcome, Class of 2029! We in the Office for Information Technology (OIT) are excited to have you join the Williams community. This guide is your one-stop shop for everything you need to know to get your digital life up and running smoothly from day one (and even before).

We've broken this guide into three sections to help you at each stage of your arrival:

Before You Arrive: A summer checklist to ensure you're ready for campus.
Your First Week: Key tasks to complete once you're here.
Tech Resources for Your Williams Journey: Ongoing support & tools available to you.

Part 1: Before You Arrive - Your Summer Tech Checklist

1. Activate Your Williams Account & Set Up Okta

Your Williams account is your key to everything, from email to course materials to Wi-Fi.

Action: Follow the step-by-step instructions at First-Year Login Instructions to set up your account. You'll be prompted to configure Okta, our multi-factor security platform that keeps your account safe.
Note! you’ll need to have your smartphone (or security key) ready, to install the Okta app.
How you'll know you're done: You can successfully log in and see your dashboard at sso.williams.edu.
Need help? Reach out to us at OIT! (next step :)

2. Know Where to Find Tech Help

OIT is always here to help you! Don't hesitate to reach out anytime.

Email: Email stchelp@williams.edu to automatically create a support ticket.
Phone: Call us at 413-597-3088.
Self-Service: Search our Knowledge Base for answers to common questions at service.williams.edu.

3. Explore Your Digital Hubs: GLOW and Google Workspace

GLOW (Canvas): This is your online learning platform, where you'll find course materials and assignments. Log in at glow.williams.edu and look around (check out the Library Orientation course!). Your professors will provide more detailed guidance on how they use GLOW for their specific courses.
Google Workspace: This is your home for email, file storage, and collaboration. Your Williams account includes many apps, including some of the most well-known:
- Gmail: Your official college email.
- Drive: For storing and sharing your work. From Drive, you can create Docs, Slides, and Sheets.
- Gemini: An AI-powered collaborator.
- Meet: video conferencing integrated directly into your Calendar and Gmail.

4. Update Your Devices

For security and performance, make sure your computer is running the latest operating system.

Windows OS: Go to Start menu > Settings > Update & Security or Windows Update.
Mac OS: Go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update.
Chrome/Firefox: Go to Help > About to update.

Part 2: Your First Week on Campus

Once you've arrived, here are the first two tech tasks to tackle.

1. Connect to Wi-Fi

Network Name: Eduroam
Instructions: Follow the simple steps in our Joining Eduroam (Wi-Fi) article.

2. Learn to Use Network Printers

You have a $50 printing credit for your first year, which is typically more than enough.

How to Print: Use the PaperCut website to send documents to printers across campus.
First Time Printing? Read our Web Print Instructions for a smooth start.
Troubleshooting: If you run into issues, check our PaperCut Troubleshooting guide.

Part 3: Tech Resources for Your Williams Journey

Do I Need to Buy a New Computer?

While not required, most students find it practical to have a personal computer. If you need access to a computer, we have computer labs across campus. If you're considering a new purchase, we recommend Apple or Dell for their reliability:

Apple: MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. Purchase with an academic discount through the Apple Store for Education.
Dell: XPS 13, Inspiron 15 or 16 plus (with an Intel processor). Access academic discounts here.

If you bring a computer you already own, here are the recommended minimum specs:

Processor: Apple M3/M4 or Intel Core i3/i5/i7
RAM: 8GB or more
Storage: 256GB (or larger) Solid State Drive (SSD)

Along with the computer itself, we recommend the following peripherals:

Headphones/Earbuds with a built-in microphone
Webcam (unless already built in to your laptop)
External hard drive (for backup)

Software Provided by Williams

Your Williams account gives you access to a wide range of software, applications, and resources. You don't need to install these now; your professors will let you know if they’re needed for a course.

Application	What It's For	How to Access
Google Workspace	Email, file storage, and collaboration tools.	Included with your Williams account. Access online at drive.google.com.
Microsoft 365	“Productivity”: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.	Instructions for installing Microsoft 365.
Zoom	Video conferencing for classes and meetings.	Included with your Williams account: williams.zoom.us
Panopto	Recording presentations and screencasts.	Access through GLOW courses, under “Course Media Gallery.”
Specialized Academic Software	Tools like Endnote, Stata, MATLAB, Mathematica, Chemdraw, SPSS, etc.	Your professors will provide guidance if these are needed for a course

Hardware Support

OIT does not repair personal devices, but our Student Technology Consultants (STCs) in Jesup Hall can help with software issues. If your computer has a hardware problem, we can recommend local repair vendors. For short-term needs, the Equipment Loan Center offers Chromebooks and laptops for multi-day checkouts.

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